Touch-activated input devices (e.g., keyboards, keypads, mice, track pads, etc.) (hereinafter “keyboards”) are commonly used for interacting with electronic devices and computer systems. The electronic devices and computers may be used in poor ambient light conditions. The touch-activated input devices can be artificially illuminated to help users see the devices in the poor ambient light conditions. For example, some commercially-available computer devices (e.g., laptops) are provisioned with lighted or illuminated keyboards (“illuminated keyboards”). An illuminated keyboard may include electronic light sources (e.g., LEDs) disposed, for example, on the sides or back of the keyboard, to provide backlight that illuminates the keys. The illuminated keyboard may be coupled to an ambient light sensor (ALS) which can automatically switch on the light sources when the ambient light falls below a certain threshold. The electronic light sources (e.g., LEDs) may be battery-powered.
While illuminated keyboards can increase the utility of electronic devices and computer systems by allowing interactive use in the dark or in low light conditions, the electronic light sources used in the illuminated keyboards consume power and can run down batteries.
Consideration is now being given to ways of managing power consumption by illuminated keyboards.